Which of the following best describes Hyperaemia?
A. A passive process resulting from reduced venous drainage.; B. An active process due to arterial and arteriolar dilatation.; C. A condition characterized by a bluish skin tint (cyanosis).; D. The accumulation of fluid in the interstitial space.
B. An active process due to arterial and arteriolar dilatation.
Generalised passive venous congestion is most commonly found in patients suffering from ______.
Heart failure
Which of the following organs are characteristically affected by long-standing (chronic) congestion?
A. Lung; B. Liver; C. Pancreas; D. Spleen
A,B,D
What are ‘heart failure cells’ and how do they form?
They are macrophages in the lungs that have taken up haemosiderin. They form when chronic congestion causes alveolar capillaries to leak red blood cells, which are then broken down in the alveoli
In a cut section of a congested liver, the ‘nutmeg’ appearance is caused by:
A. Central veins appearing red surrounded by yellowish-brown normal liver.; B. Diffuse fibrosis of the portal system.; C. Accumulation of fat in the central veins.; D. Small haemorrhages in the peripheral liver cells.
A. Central veins appearing red surrounded by yellowish-brown normal liver
Severe generalised oedema is referred to as ______.
Anasacra
Which mechanisms contribute to the development of Oedema?
A. Increased hydrostatic pressure.; B. Increased colloid osmotic pressure.; C. Lymphatic obstruction.; D. Sodium and water retention.
A,C,D
Contrast Transudate and Exudate oedema fluid.
Transudates result from hydrostatic/osmotic imbalances with normal vascular permeability. Exudates result from increased vascular permeability, often associated with inflammation
A 25-year-old patient presents with massive protein loss from the kidneys. This renal oedema is primarily caused by:
A. Increased hydrostatic pressure.; B. Reduced vascular colloid osmotic pressure due to hypoalbinumaemia.; C. Lymphatic obstruction.; D. Arteriolar dilation.
B. Reduced vascular colloid osmotic pressure due to hypoalbinumaemia
Haemorrhage into the skin or mucous membranes that is large and blotchy (greater than 1cm) is called ______.
Ecchymosis
Which of the following are components of the Virchow’s Triad in thrombosis?
A. Endothelial injury.; B. Abnormal blood flow (stasis or turbulence).; C. Hypercoagulability.; D. Increased fibrinolysis.
A,B,C
Explain the evolution of a bruise (haemorrhage) from purple to brown.
It follows the breakdown of blood pigments: starting with haemoglobin (red/purple), it is converted to bilirubin (blue/green), and eventually to haemosiderin (brown)
Which molecule, released by endothelial cells, is responsible for the reflex neurogenic vasoconstriction immediately following vascular injury?
A. Thrombin.; B. Histamine.; C. Endothelin.; D. ADP.
C. Endothelin
The process where older thrombi become organised by other cells and capillaries form to re-establish blood flow is called ______.
Recanalization
What are the possible ‘fates’ of a thrombus?
A. Propagation.; B. Embolization.; C. Dissolution.; D. Metastasis.
A, B, C (Note: Organization/Recanalization is also a fate).
Define an Embolus.
An embolus is an abnormal mass of undissolved material (solid, liquid, or gas) that is transported from one part of the circulatory system to another
Where do the majority of pulmonary thrombo-emboli (PE) originate?
A. Right atrium.; B. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the lower limbs.; C. Atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta.; D. Left ventricular wall.
B. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the lower limbs
A large pulmonary embolus that lodges at the bifurcation of the pulmonary artery is called a ______ embolus.
Saddle
Which clinical features characterize Fat Embolism Syndrome?
A. Respiratory distress.; B. Mental confusion.; C. Petechial haemorrhage.; D. Massive hematemesis.
A,B,C
Describe the mechanism of decompression sickness in scuba divers.
Air breathed at high pressure causes nitrogen to dissolve in tissues. If the diver ascends too rapidly, the sudden reduction in pressure causes the nitrogen to come out of solution, forming gas bubbles in the blood and tissues
In the autopsy of a patient who died from amniotic fluid embolism, which finding is classic in the pulmonary microvasculature?
A. Large fibrin clots only.; B. Squamous cells shed from foetal skin.; C. Air bubbles.; D. Calcium deposits.
B. Squamous cells shed from foetal skin
Area of ischaemic necrosis caused by occlusion of arterial supply or venous drainage is called an ______.
Infarct/ Infarction
Which factors determine the extent and severity of ischaemia?
A. Presence of a double or collateral blood supply.; B. Rate of onset of ischaemia.; C. The sensitivity of the tissue to hypoxia (e.g., brain).; D. The patient’s blood type.
A,B,C
Differentiate between ‘White’ and ‘Red’ infarcts.
White (pale) infarcts occur in solid organs with end-arterial circulation like the heart or spleen. Red (haemorrhagic) infarcts occur in organs with dual blood supply (lungs/gut) or following venous occlusion